Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Reborn
by Kaytrim
Summary: Harry is home after the Tri-Wizard Tournment. Things are the back to ‘normal’ at number 4 Privite drive, or are they. Harry finds new wizards, new powers, new love and a new order. This fanfic was started before OotP was released and is now AU.
1. The worst summer ever

Chapter 1: The worst summer ever  
  
It was a hot sunny afternoon in mid June on Privet Drive. Nothing was moving, not even the teenage boy on the ground in front of a garden at Number 4. Even though everything looked ordinary this was no ordinary teenage boy. This boy was a wizard and non other than Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Harry's parents were killed by an evil Wizard when Harry was one year old. Harry was given to the Dursleys, his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Cousin Dudley. The Dursleys were Muggles, people with no magic talent, and they hated anything to do with magic, including Harry. When Harry was small, they kept him in the cupboard under the stairs. His Aunt and Uncle told Harry that his parents were killed in a car crash, and he believed it. That was until his 11th birthday when Harry found out he was a wizard. Hagrid, the half giant keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, came to collect Harry as he was to start at Hogwarts that year.  
  
Hagrid introduced Harry to the Wizarding World as well as informing him how his parents really died. Hagrid also told Harry who killed his parents, and that Harry was a famous person in the Wizarding World, known as 'the boy who lived'. Harry is the only person to survive the killing curse. All that remained of the failed curse was a lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Harry's scar would hurt when Voldemort was near or thinking murderous thoughts, usually about Harry. Voldemort was the wizard who killed Harry's parents and was thought to be dead himself, but Harry learned different during his first year at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry survived his second encounter with Voldemort as well as encounters in his second and fourth years. However what was left of Voldemort finally returned to his full power and in new body at the end of Harry's fourth year. This was accomplished by the traitor to Harry's parents, their best friend Peter Pettigrew a.k.a. Wormtail. Wormtail performed a complex spell that included bone from Voldemort's father, Wormtail's hand, and Harry's blood.  
  
That brings us back to where Harry is now, passed out on the ground in front of the Dursley's house. The reason that Harry is unconscious is because of a vision that involved Voldemort and the pain in his scar that this caused...  
  
Harry found himself in an old manor that seemed familiar to him. "Wormtail!" hissed a man in a high pitched, hissing voice.  
  
"Yes, master?" said Wormtail rather shakily.  
  
"I need to find Potter. I know that you attended Muggle studies classes when you were at Hogwarts. Can you find a way to locate him using that knowledge?" asked the man. "You are the only one of my followers that has that type of knowledge."  
  
"I will try my Lord Voldemort," responded Wormtail.  
  
"You will do better than try Wormtail, Crucio," Voldemort said coolly.  
  
Wormtail screamed and writhed in pain from the effects of the curse. Harry too screamed in pain, the pain in his scar. After Voldemort felt his servant sufficiently punished, he released Wormtail from the curse, and Harry passed out from the pain in his scar.  
  
"Boy, what are you doing asleep on the ground, in front of the house no less!?!" screamed Aunt Petunia.  
  
"My scar hurt," Harry replied. His scar still stung from the ordeal.  
  
"Nonsense," said Petunia "That scar of yours cannot do that it is just an ordinary scar. Besides it is time for supper, wash up and come inside."  
  
How could Harry expect any sympathy from his aunt when she hated anything remotely related to magic? He got himself up brushing the dirt off his clothes and hands. He was weeding the front garden when the vision struck. He picked up his tools, walked around to the back of the small house, and put them away in the tool shed. He could see a snowy owl perched in a tree next to the shed.  
  
"Hello Hedwig, got a letter for me?" he asked her.  
  
Hedwig swooped down and into the shed via the window in the back, landing on the workbench and sticking out her leg where the letter was attached. He untied it from his faithful owl and gave her a treat from his pocket. Looking at the letter he noticed the telltale green ink, letting him know that it was from Hogwarts. He put it in his pocket to read later.  
  
"Hurry up boy!" Petunia yelled from the back door. "Your uncle will be home soon, and I want you clean and ready for supper!"  
  
"Coming, Aunt Petunia," responded Harry. "You better clear out, Hedwig, before she sees you."  
  
He went inside leaving his dirty shoes on the porch so as to not track in any dirt. He went upstairs and quickly washed up and changed his clothes finishing as Vernon drove up to the house.  
  
"I'm home Petunia!" he yelled from the front door.  
  
"Dinner is on the table, Dear," she replied.  
  
Harry came down the stairs and greeted his uncle, "Hello, Uncle Vernon."  
  
"Did you finish your chores today?" asked Vernon.  
  
"Not quite Uncle Vernon, my scar gave me a fit this afternoon," replied Harry.  
  
"I found him asleep in the front yard a short while ago, Vernon!" said Petunia irritably.  
  
"We need to be a little more understanding, Petunia," Uncle Vernon said as he gave Harry a wary look. "He is not like the rest of us you know."  
  
Things had changed slightly this summer from previous summers at the Dursleys. It had to do with a conversation that Harry had with Vernon on the way home from the school train.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Uncle Vernon was waiting beyond the barrier. Mrs. Weasley was close by him. She hugged Harry very tightly when she saw him and whispered in his ear, "I think Dumbledore will let you come to us later in the summer. Keep in touch, Harry."  
  
"See you, Harry," said Ron, clapping him on the back.  
  
"'Bye, Harry!" said Hermione, and she did something she had never done before, and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Harry - thanks," George muttered, while Fred nodded fervently at his side. Harry winked at them, turned to Uncle Vernon, and followed him silently from the station.  
  
Uncle Vernon helped Harry load his trunk into the car and started to drive home. Harry could tell that Vernon was fuming about something but chose to remain quiet so as not to provoke him into a tirade that was sure to come.  
  
"We received a letter from that headmaster of yours," Vernon finally said. "At least he knows how to use normal post instead of those ruddy birds."  
  
Harry had not known that Professor Dumbledore had sent a letter to the Dursleys. He wondered what it had said. He didn't have to wait long.  
  
"He told us about that infernal tournament that you participated in," spat Vernon. "And about the return of, 'Bolder Mort', I think the name was."  
  
"Voldemort," replied Harry.  
  
Vernon's face tuned red with anger. "Mind your tongue boy!" retorted Vernon. "I will not have you speaking about that abnormal world of yours!"  
  
"Why not? You are," responded Harry. He was getting rather put off with Uncle Vernon's attitude. He began to get a tingly feeling behind his eyes.  
  
Vernon pulled sharply over to the shoulder of the road and stopped rather abruptly. The tingly feeling started to turn to pressure, and Harry knew that he was about to loose control. Vernon turned toward Harry, but before he began to scold Harry for his insubordination, he noticed the look on Harry's face. Uncle Vernon paused a moment before continuing.  
  
"Harry, Son, Petunia and I have graciously given you a home for the last 13 years. The least you could do is respect our wishes not to be involved in your world," he said calmly.  
  
Harry saw the fear in Uncle Vernon's eyes and noticed how pale he had become. The pressure behind his eyes began to subside a little. Harry decided to try and take a little advantage of the situation. "I will try to honor that request as long as everyone treats me with some semblance of respect," he said coolly.  
  
Vernon started to turn red again but only for a moment. "I will have a talk with Petunia and Dudley when we return home, so please be a little patient," he replied. Vernon was a little taken aback with Harry's request, but thought that the situation was diffused for the time being.  
  
"I need to be able to get my homework done this summer," said Harry. "I also need to study, so I can take my finals when I return on September 1st. I didn't get to take them this year because of that 'infernal' tournament," he added throwing Vernon's words back at him.  
  
"We will talk about that later," Vernon said. "We had better be going or dinner will be cold by the time we get there."  
  
That satisfied Harry for the moment, but he still had a question. "Uncle Vernon, did Professor Dumbledore say anything else in his letter?"  
  
Vernon thought for a moment how to respond. There were things there that Harry wasn't supposed to know yet. However there were other things that he would find out when they returned home that evening as well.  
  
"We are to allow you to rest for a little while longer to recover from your tournament. There was more as well, but we are not allowed to tell you. You will find out when the time is right," was his response.  
  
Neither Harry nor Vernon said another word the rest of the trip.  
  
When they arrived home Harry said, "I'm more tired than hungry, so I'll just go to bed." He did this to give Uncle Vernon a chance to have that talk with Petunia and Dudley.  
  
"Just leave your stuff here by the door. I'll take care of it later," said Uncle Vernon.  
  
Harry left his trunk and Hedwig's cage near the front door as he was asked. He then when up the stair but stopped at the top to listen in on what was said in the kitchen.  
  
"How was your trip with the boy? He didn't give you any trouble did he?" asked Petunia.  
  
"As a matter of fact, he did, and we need to have a family meeting on this," said Vernon rather dejectedly.  
  
"Are you sure that Dudders needs to be a part of this?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
"Defiantly," he responded.  
  
The Dursleys sat down at the kitchen table, and Vernon told them what happened on the way home. He told them how Harry's facial expression looked similar to when he blew up his sister. Dudley covered his butt with his hands, again remembering the first time he had a run in with a wizard. He then put one of them over his mouth remembering last summer when the Weasleys came to collect Harry.  
  
"The scariest part was his eyes, Petunia, they almost glowed," he said. "We have got to treat him with a little more respect if we are going to avoid a repeat of two years ago. That goes double for you and your friends Dudley."  
  
"But, Daddy, I cannot control how my friends behave when they are here," cried Dudley.  
  
"You will, or you will end up like your Aunt Marge or worse. Maybe you will get a pair of ears to match the tail you got!" threatened Vernon.  
  
Harry felt that things were turning out in his favor and continued to his room, changed, and went to bed.  
  
When Harry awoke the next morning, he looked at his wrist to see what time it was and remembered that he had yet to replace it after the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He looked outside and saw the sun was out and guessed that it was about mid morning. He also noticed Hedwig in a tree outside with her head under a wing asleep.  
  
"How did she get outside?" he mused. "And where is my trunk? I told Uncle Vernon that I needed to study this summer more than usual."  
  
He got himself dressed and went downstairs to see if there was some breakfast left for him.  
  
"Did Sleeping Beauty finally wake up?" joked Dudley has Harry came down stairs.  
  
Harry ignored his cousin and went to the kitchen.  
  
"About time you got up, you laze about," sneered Petunia.  
  
"Good morning to you too," Harry replied. "Is there any breakfast left?"  
  
"Here" she said while shoving a small plate of crackers and a glass of water to him. "Tomorrow be up in time for breakfast, and there might be more. I gave Dudley yours as well this morning. I cannot believe that Smeltings still thinks that my Dudders is fat. They were starving him to death. He is just big boned. Now they will not allow him to return to school until he is a more 'reasonable' size."  
  
Harry looked over to his cousin and noticed that he had somehow managed to get even larger under the forced diet that he had to follow at school.  
  
"Aunt Petunia, where is my school trunk and Hedwig's cage?" asked Harry.  
  
"If I have anything to say about it, they are locked away where they will stay!" she said.  
  
Harry was glad that he had pocketed his wand before he had left the train. He pulled it out from under his shirt and pointed it threateningly at his Aunt. "You don't have anything to say about it," Harry said coldly.  
  
Screaming, Dudley ran from the room covering his ears.  
  
"Y-Y-Y-You are not a-a-allowed to do anything with th-th-that while you are not in school," she said shakily looking at his wand.  
  
Harry put the wand away. "You are right, but you also know that I don't need a wand to do anything, remember Aunt Marge? Remember the snake at the zoo? Remember what happened to my hair after you shaved it off?"  
  
Harry's eyes started to glow a bright emerald green.  
  
"Y-You will get expelled from that freakish school of yours if you do anything," she stammered.  
  
"I didn't get into any trouble when I blew up Aunt Marge," said Harry.  
  
"W-We will discuss this when your uncle comes home. U-Until that time please stay in your room. Y-You are supposed to be resting anyway. I will b-bring you some lunch later," she managed to say.  
  
Realizing that he had got his message through he decided to do as Petunia suggested. He took his crackers and water upstairs to his room.  
  
That night after the Dursleys had dinner in the kitchen while Harry had his in his room, Vernon and Petunia went up to Harry's room to discuss his studies. As much as they hated magic Vernon and Petunia were feeling that they had no choice in the matter. However they still would not allow Harry to practice magic in their house and that was final. Harry also realized that he had no choice either because this was the 'safest' place from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. So they were at a stalemate.  
  
"I need to write to Professor Dumbledore about this. As you have all my school stuff locked away I will need a pen and paper from you. Until I receive a response from him can we agree to leave matters as they are for the time being?"  
  
"I suppose so," replied Vernon thoughtfully ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That was all two weeks ago and Harry had not received a reply from Dumbledore yet. After the first week was over the Dursleys had enough of Harry lazing about and decided to do something about it.  
  
"Harry, as your week of rest is over, it is time for you to earn your keep here in this house," said Petunia the next morning. "You can start by cleaning this kitchen. Then the back garden needs to be weeded, grass cut, hedges trimmed, and there is a box of bulbs that need planting in the front garden."  
  
Harry wanted to protest but thought better of it. The Dursleys were back to their old tricks of trying to stamp the magic out of him. As he had no response from Dumbledore yet, he had nothing to fight back with.  
  
"I am still a little weak from school, so I will do what I can," he said.  
  
Petunia looked like she was just about to retort but thought better of it. She said nothing.  
  
At least they are being civil with me now, thought Harry. He finished his breakfast and went to work on his list.  
  
As they sat down for dinner, Vernon and Petunia were acting a little smug about something. He was back to doing all the chores around the house and everything was 'normal' again. Harry said to himself, I finally have my response from Dumbledore this will all change soon enough. He felt the letter stashed away in his jean pocket which Hedwig had brought him earlier this afternoon.  
  
"Harry, wash the dishes then you can go to your room," said Vernon as they finished dinner.  
  
Harry did as he was told in record time. He wanted to see what Dumbledore had to say about the current situation. When he finally got to his room he opened the letter and read it.  
  
Harry,  
  
I am sorry to see that your relatives will not allow you to perform you studies in their home. I am currently looking for a suitable location for you to stay over the summer. I have told the Weasleys that you cannot stay with them as it is well known that you are close friends with them. The same story is for Ms. Granger's home. You cannot stay at Hogwarts either as most of the professors have gone home for the holidays. If I am unable to locate a place for you to stay soon, I will arrive at your home to try and reach an agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, so you can continue your studies. Meanwhile stay the current course. We cannot allow you to do anything drastic, including hexing your relatives. I will not be able to protect you from the MOM a second time.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
P.S. I have also sent a letter to your aunt and uncle telling them of the current status.  
  
Harry was devastated, not only was he unable to study and get his homework done, he couldn't do any form of magic to change the situation. Dumbledore even told the Dursleys what was happening, no wonder they were so smug at dinner. Harry then began to smile, tonight he would pick the lock the muggle way to get what he needed and hide it under the loose floorboard under his bed.  
  
At 1 AM Harry carefully crept downstairs, making sure to skip the third step which creaked when you stepped on it. He took the wires that he had bent to do the job and after a short time had the lock open. He opened the door 'WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET', 'WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEET' The sound was so loud and sudden that Harry stood there in shock not knowing what to do.  
  
"POTTER!!!" yelled Uncle Vernon as he raced down the stairs.  
  
He punched in the disarming code on the key pad in the cupboard under the stairs and all went quiet, too quiet. Uncle Vernon was huffing and puffing slightly from the short run. Harry could tell that he was in for some serious punishment.  
  
"BOY, YOU BROKE OUR AGREEMENT," Uncle Vernon roared at Harry. His face red with anger. "And since you did, I will break mine. Tomorrow all your school stuff will be sent to the dump. Monday I will call Stonewall High and get you enrolled. YOU WILL NOT BE GOING BACK TO THAT INFERNAL SCHOOL EVER AGAIN!!! Now go back to your bed and stay there until you are called in the morning!"  
  
Vernon punched in the arming code and after a "Beep, Beep" he closed the door, locking it again. He turned around and saw Harry glaring at him his eyes glowing like never before. The color in Uncle Vernon's face drained as if someone pulled out a drain plug.  
  
"D-D-Don't try anything Harry if you d-d-don't want problems with that s-s- stupid M-M-Ministry of yours," Vernon stammered.  
  
Harry's eyes went out like someone had flipped a switch. He had lost, and he knew there was nothing he could do. He bowed his head and trudged back to his room, broken in spirit. 


	2. Nightmares

Chapter 2 Nightmares  
  
True to his word the next morning Vernon loaded all of Harry's school stuff and Hedwig's cage in the car and personally delivered it to the dump. Harry felt that a chapter in his life was closing. The Dursleys were if anything worse to him than ever before. Petunia started piling on the chores and cutting back on his food. Dudley even had his crowd of friends come over and made fun of Harry as he worked inside and outside of the house all day. When the day was finished, he took his bread and water and dragged himself upstairs and ate in silence. He looked out the window of his room and noticed that the bars had even been put up again, and he heard the lock being set on the outside of his door. He was a prisoner in his room again.  
  
Hedwig perched herself on the bars outside his window and scratched at it to get his attention. He looked at her and noticed a long thin package attached to her leg dangling between the bars. He quietly opened the window, so he could access his faithful friend and relieve her of her burden.  
  
He opened the package and to his surprise it contained a travel flask of ink, an eagle feather quill and a few tightly rolled pieces of parchment. Attached to the flask was a small note.  
  
Harry,  
  
Here are some things that you might need. Let us know what is happening. The flask is charmed to contain a never ending supply of ink and the parchment will replenish itself as needed. Professor Dumbledore told me of your situation, so I thought that these would be helpful. I will be sending you some information from our books and copies of my notes from last term, so you can at least study at night. Let me know how wide the bars are on your window, so I don't send anything too big.  
  
Love, Hermione  
  
Harry's heart was lightened by this small but important delivery. Leave it to Hermione to figure out a way to allow him to keep in touch with the Wizarding world and still get his homework done. He took the note and turned it over to write a reply. The first thing he did was measure the width of the bars by using the edge of the parchment. He also marked the height between the cross members of the bars so she knew how much room she had to work with.  
  
Hermione,  
  
You clever little witch. I am reminded of something that Ron's dad said once "Doesn't miss a trick that man Dumbledore." Leave it to him to let you know what was happening, so you could figure out a way to get some stuff to me. I marked the height and width of the space in the bars on my window on the edge of this parchment. Are you still planning to visit Krum in Bulgaria? The Dursleys are worse than ever now. They are starving me again, have taken all my stuff to the dump, and are enrolling me in Stonewall High. They will not let me go back to Hogwarts.  
  
Harry  
  
He folded up the parchment and tied it to Hedwig's leg. "Take this to Hermione, please girl," he said to her. She flew off into the night. He watched her fly until he couldn't see her anymore. He put the ink, quill and parchment under the loose floorboard to keep them safe. He finished his dinner and crawled into bed to get some sleep. He was out before his head hit the pillow.  
  
Cedric looked down at the Triwizard Cup and then up at Harry. "Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" he asked. "Nope," said Harry. He was looking around the graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?" "I dunno," said Cedric. He sounded slightly nervous. "Wands out, d'you reckon?" "Yeah," said Harry, glad that Cedric had made the suggestion rather than him. They pulled out their wands. Harry kept looking around him. He had, yet again, the strange feeling that they were being watched. "Someone's coming," he said suddenly. Squinting tensely through the darkness, they watched the figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward them between the graves. Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, he could tell that it was carrying something. Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And - several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time, - Harry saw that the thing in the persons' arms looked like a baby ... or was it merely a bundle of robes? Harry lowered his wand slightly and glanced sideways at Cedric. Cedric shot him a quizzical look. They both turned back to watch the approaching figure. It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them. For a second Harry and Cedric and the short figure simply looked at one another. And then, without warning, Harry's scar exploded with pain. It was agony such as he had never felt in all his life; his wand slipped from his fingers as he put his hands over his face; his knees buckled; he was on the ground and could see nothing at all; his head was about to split open. From far away, above his head, he heard a high cold voice say, "Kill the spare." A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night: "Avada Kedavra!" A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to the ground beside him; the pain in his scar reached such a pitch that he retched, and then it diminished. Terrified of what he was about to see, he opened his stinging eyes. Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead.  
  
Harry awoke in a cold sweat and his scar pounding. He remembered the dream and started to cry. He didn't want Cedric dead. He didn't want anyone to die because of him again. The pain in his heart echoed the pain in his scar. He lost his parents because of who he was. He lost a friend for who he was and Cho would never speak to him again. Harry was more depressed than he had ever been in the past. Even with a channel now open to the Wizarding world he still was so far down that he didn't think that he could get up anymore.  
  
Harry eventually dozed off only to have another nightmare.  
  
"It is ready, Master." "Now ..." said the cold voice. Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and Harry let out a yell that was strangled in the wad of material blocking his mouth. It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind - but worse, a hundred times worse. The thing Wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Harry had never seen anything less like a child. It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and its face - no child alive ever had a face like that - flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes. The thing seemed almost helpless; it raised its thin arms, put them around Wormtail's neck, and Wormtail lifted it. As he did so, his hood fell back, and Harry saw the look of revulsion on Wormtail's weak, pale face in the firelight as he carried the creature to the rim of the cauldron. For one moment, Harry saw the evil, flat face illuminated in the sparks dancing on the surface of the potion. And then Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud. Let it drown, Harry thought, his scar burning almost past endurance, please. . . let it drown. . . . Wormtail was speaking. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night. "Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!" The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous- looking blue. And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs. "Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master. " He stretched his right hand out in front of him - the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward. Harry realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened - he closed his eyes as tightly as he could, but he could not block the scream that pierced the night, that went through Harry as though he had been stabbed with the dagger too. He heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron. Harry couldn't stand to look . . . but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Harry's closed eyelids. . . . Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. Not until Harry felt Wormtail's anguished breath on his face did he realize that Wormtail was right in front of him. "B-blood of the enemy . . . forcibly taken .. . you will. . . resurrect your foe." Harry could do nothing to prevent it, he was tied too tightly. . .. Squinting down, struggling hopelessly at the ropes binding him, he saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtail's remaining hand. He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes. Wormtail, still panting with pain, rumbled in his pocket for a glass vial and held it to Harry's cut, so that a dribble of blood fell into it. He staggered back to the cauldron with Harry's blood. He poured it inside. The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron, then slumped sideways and lay on the ground, cradling the bleeding stump of his arm, gasping and sobbing. The cauldron was simmering, sending its diamond sparks in all directions, so blindingly bright that it turned all else to velvety blackness. Nothing happened. . .  
  
Let it have drowned, Harry thought, let it have gone wrong. . . And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished. A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead, obliterating everything in front of Harry, so that he couldn't see Wormtail or Cedric or anything but vapor hanging in the air. ... it's gone wrong, he thought. . . it's drowned. .. please . . . please let it be dead. ... But then, through the mist in front of him, he saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.  
  
Harry awoke again as before drenched in cold sweat. Why did he have to be the one that Voldemort needed to destroy, more than anyone else? Why wasn't he successful in his attempts to kill Harry? Harry looked outside and saw the sun starting to rise. He decided that he wouldn't get any more sleep tonight, so he busied himself with getting dressed and waited for his jailers to open his cell door and get him started on his forced labor again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione had told him that she had changed her mind and was staying in England to help him with his studying. For this he was grateful. The dreams came every night. The same dreams, the same pain in his scar, the same aching hole in his heart, and the same questions haunting his mind. Even with a steady flow of packages from Hermione and spending long nights studying. He still had the dreams no matter how tired he was. After a week of this he decided to write to Hermione about what was happening as this was not normal, even in the Wizarding world.  
  
Hermione,  
  
I have been having nightmares every night reliving the death of Cedric and the rebirth of Voldemort. I wake up in a cold sweat and with my scar hurting each time. I don't know how much longer I can take this. With the lack of sleep, lack of food and the enormous amount of chores I am totally spent. As it is I can hardly get any homework or studying done because I am so tired. Please send something to help, I'm desperate.  
  
Harry  
  
The next night Harry received her response attached to what looked like a thick chocolate bar.  
  
Harry,  
  
This is a high protein bar. Muggle athletes use them when they are training to help build muscle. This should help supplement what little the Dursleys are giving you. Eat the whole thing, I will send you one each night until things change. I talked with Dumbledore today about your situation and he says that his hands are tied at the moment. He asks you to hang in there, things will change for the better soon, just hang in there.  
  
Harry, I am worried about you. Voldemort is starting to make his presence known. There are reports of the Dark Mark appearing every night all over England. Both muggles and wizards dead by the killing curse. All the occurrences are at residences with the last name of Potter or first name of Harry. He is looking for you Harry, stay safe.  
  
Love, Hermione  
  
"Just hang in there," he whispered harshly slamming his fist into his pillow "just hang in there, is that all they can do!?! I'll go crazy if nothing is done soon." At least Hermione was able to supplement his meager food supply. He ate half of the bar saving the other half for the morning. As Harry thought more on the letter something caught his eye, things will change for the better soon. Dumbledore was working on something but she couldn't say what or when. Here was his ray of hope.  
  
A week went by and still nothing changed. Voldomort's attacks grew more frequent, even the muggle news started talking about the string of mysterious deaths. Harry was getting desperately thin and gaunt. The day before his birthday he looked at this reflection in the mirror of the bathroom, and he was scared of what he saw. Even with the protein bars that Hermione was sending he looked like death warmed over. Dumbledore had better do something really soon or the Dursleys will kill me before Voldemort has a chance, he thought to himself.  
  
After his meager breakfast, he went out to the tool shed to get the lawn mower. Inside Hedwig was waiting for him with a letter. "Thanks girl," he said weakly to her and untied it from her leg. He opened it, and there were two pieces of parchment. The first one was blank and quite large almost a meter on each side but the second one was a note.  
  
Harry,  
  
Place the other piece of parchment over the bars on your window tonight. This way we can get all the gifts we have for you through the bars.  
  
Fred & George  
  
He looked more closely at the blank piece of parchment trying to figure out what it would do.  
  
"BOY, are you going to stay in that shed all day or are you going to get some work done!?!" yelled Aunt Petunia. "Just looking for the gas for the mower Aunt Petunia," he lied back. He folded the parchments up and put them in his pocket. He would have to wait until tonight to find out how the parchment worked. 


	3. Presents from Everyone

Chapter 3 Presents from Everyone  
  
After he had finished for the day, it was already dark. He went into the house got cleaned up, and took his small supper upstairs. After 11:30, he finally thought that the Dursleys were asleep. He took out the parchments and looked at them again. Doubtful that it would be of any help, he did as he was instructed. As soon as he placed the blank parchment on the bars, it stuck there. To his surprise, a handle appeared on one side of the parchment with a sign that said, "Open Me". He pulled on it, and it swung open as if it was on hinges, taking the bars with it as if they were cut and glued to the parchment. He closed the 'door' and the handle disappeared and the parchment unstuck itself from the bars back in one piece. Shocked and hoping that the parchment worked more than once, he tried to put the parchment back on the bars like before. To his relief the parchment stuck to the bars again, and the handle reappeared.  
  
"Wow," he said, "this is the best." He opened the 'door' and left it open this time. At midnight the owls started arriving with packages full of letters and presents from his friends. There were barn owls, grey owls, small ones and snowy owls including Hedwig. He counted them and there were 10 all together.  
  
He went to Hedwig first and opened the rather large package that she carried. Inside was a bag of owl treats and a box. The note on the bag said "For all the deliveries and more for Hedwig. Madame Pomfrey". "Madame Pomfrey?" he wondered. Then Harry opened the box and inside there were several small vials and a note. "Take half a vial before bed." He uncorked one and looked inside, seeing a familiar looking potion, he took one smell and realized "Dreamless Sleep Potions" he exclaimed. "That will help out a great deal, now I can get a good nights' sleep." He gave Hedwig one of the treats and went to the next owl.  
  
He recognized the next owl immediately as Ron's owl, Pig. The little owl raced around the room hooting around making quite a racket. If it wasn't for his quidditch training, he couldn't have caught the overactive little bird. He removed the package from Pig that was almost as big as he was. Then gave him a treat and tossed him out the window so as to not wake the Dursleys. There was a letter attached to the box, so he read it first.  
  
Harry, Happy Birthday, mate. Sorry to hear that Dumbledore won't let you come to visit us this summer. Hermione has kept us informed of your letters, so we know how bad you have it. I hope that Mum's present will help you in that department. This present will also help I think. It is powered by magic and is water-proof, so it won't get ruined like your last one.  
  
Fred and George took me shopping last week to buy me some new dress robes. No more frills for me! They also got an Owl for their business.  
  
See you at school, Ron  
  
"Water-proof, ruined like my last one?" Harry asked. He opened the box and all questions were answered.  
  
Inside was a wrist watch. "Just what I needed." he said aloud.  
  
The next Owl was the Weasleys old owl Erol. It had passed out on his bed from the long flight, and looking at the size of the package it carried, Harry realized it was too much for the old bird. "They should retire Erol, he is getting too old for this," he thought. He opened the letter attached to the box.  
  
Harry, Dear, Inside this box are some things to keep up your strength. Enjoy them and keep us informed on how things are going. Happy Birthday, Molly Weasley  
  
He opened the box and out popped more pies, breads and cakes than what the box should have held. Under the lid was a small button that said, "Press me." He pressed the button and everything went back into the box and the lid closed. "More of Fred and George's tricks," he thought to himself laughing.  
  
He went to the next owl. This one was a barn owl that looked like it was one of the school owls. Attached was a letter from Dumbledore. Harry put that aside to read later.  
  
The next owl was a grey Great Horned owl with a package that reminded Harry of a small book. "That must be from Hermione," he thought. He opened the attached note.  
  
Harry, With the rise of Voldemort this book should come in handy. Happy Birthday, Moony  
  
A present from Remus? He opened the package and inside was indeed a book. It was "The Defense Handbook on Dueling" by Migule Paloma. He would definitely look this one over in his 'spare' time. He put down the book on his bed next to the growing pile of presents and went to the next owl. It was a snowy like Hedwig but with fewer spots. He untied the box from the beautiful bird and gave it a treat. The owl then flew out the open 'door' in the window. The note attached said.  
  
Harry, Thank you for the sack of galleons. This owl was one of our purchases when we took our ickle Ronniekins to get his new dress robes. His name is Weezes, figured as this was a purchase for our business we would name him after the business. We hope that you liked our little invention to solve your window problem. Inside this box are some of our new inventions. There are notes attached letting you know what each one is called and what it does. If you have the chance let us know how they work out. Fred & George  
  
Harry had to laugh a little at this note but would not be handing out any of their treats to anyone. He had enough problems with the Dursleys as it was. The next owl was another barn owl with another book attached. Looking at the note he realized that this one was from Hermione.  
  
Happy Birthday Harry, Here is something to help you through your tough times ahead. Love, Hermione  
  
The book was titled "The Power of Positive Thinking". A muggle book? The title said it all, something to help keep his spirits up. Love? Hermione was sure signing her letters like that a lot lately, and that kiss after they got off the train? He definitely had some questions for Hermione now and nothing that involved studying. The rest of the owls were all barn owls and only one had a package, the rest had letters only. Harry untied the deliveries from each one and gave each a treat. Now all the owls had left except for Hedwig.  
  
"You had better leave too, so I can close the 'door' girl, I don't want to forget it and have the Dursleys find it."  
  
He gave her another treat, and she flew out the window. He closed the 'door' and put it away. Harry now turned to the last of the unopened packages. It was small and wrapped in plan paper and no note. Inside was a small red box that opened on a hinge in the middle. Inside was a ring. The ring was red gold and in the shape of a Phoenix with red stones for the eyes. The gold work was so precise that it looked alive in the dim light. He looked again for a note on the box, in the box and the wrapping but nothing. He wasn't sure about putting it on, so he left it in the box and put it next to the rest. Harry ate a piece of meat pie before he put away his presents under the loose floorboard.  
  
All that remained was three letters. One of the letters was from Dumbledore, one from Hagrid and the last one didn't have a name on the envelope.  
  
Harry, Happy birthday, I hope that Hermione is keeping your head full of knowledge during the holidays. I am sorry, but I have not been able to find a safe location for you to stay for the rest of the summer holidays. I will be at your house tomorrow to speak with your relatives and to speak with you. We have much to discuss before school starts again on September 1st. Take a half dose of the potion that Poppy sent you so you can wake up in the morning as I know that it is quite late already. I will see you in the morning. Your relatives do not know that I am coming so keep to your normal schedule. Albus  
  
"Doesn't miss a trick that man," Harry found himself saying again. Smiling he set it aside and reached for the next letter.  
  
Harry, I hope that this letter finds you well. Olympe and I are still traveling doing business for Professor Dumbledore, so I cannot say much, nor was I able to bake you a cake this year. I know that Molly had sent you some food to tide you over though so nothing to worry about. Have a Happy Birthday Harry and I will see you at school. Hagrid  
  
"So Hagrid is still looking for the giants, and he has Madame Maxine with him as well. I hope that he is successful in his mission," Harry thought. "Now who is this last letter from?"  
  
Harry I know that you didn't expect a letter from me after what happened at the end of last year. But I didn't want you blaming yourself for what happened to Cedric anymore. Dumbledore talked with me and told me of your re- occurring nightmares about what happened that night. Cedric's parents don't blame you, Dumbledore doesn't blame you, and I don't blame you. The only person that is to blame for Cedric's death is Voldemort.  
  
Last year when you asked me to go to the Yule ball, I would have been honored to be your date, but I had already promised Cedric to go with him, and we started to see each other after the ball. There was nothing really serious between us, he was a very good friend, nothing more. Love between Cedric and I, was not meant to be more than friendship, there was no real chemistry. If there is a ball this year, don't wait until the last minute to ask me, I might say yes, but I will not wait forever. Have a Happy Birthday Harry, and sleep well.  
  
Yours truly, Cho Chang  
  
Harry thought hard about this last letter. Cho was right he didn't expect a letter form her let alone what she had to say. She didn't blame him for Cedric's death and if anyone would blame him he thought it would be her. If she couldn't blame him then maybe he shouldn't blame himself either. Here was another girl that seemed to have her eyes on him. This would be an interesting year, if he was able to attend Hogwarts. He had a long night and he was getting rather tired so he took the amount of the potion that Albus had suggested and was asleep shortly there after. 


End file.
